Skinny Love
by TakeMySoulAway333
Summary: Daryl gives Carol a tattoo that will always remind each other that pain, hurt, love, and need is okay for both of them. Idea came from a Tumblr post made by bullettimescully :) Thank you deary! Image credit goes to her as well! Also thank you for reading :)


**From a Tumblr post with a picture that has Carol having wings tattooed on her back. Thank you bullettimescully for giving me the inspiration to write this! **

**I hope you guys like this and if anything is wrong with my grammar or anything else I would much appreciate it for the feedback for making this better! **

Sitting on a stool Carol clutched her shirt tightly around her chest. Feeling the sting of the needle being pressed on her skin made her cringe. She blushed a lot though. Daryl's hands were on her bare back after all. Her mind rattled with thoughts._He hasn't said anything about my scars…_

"Still won't tell me what you're going to tattoo on my back?" She heard him laugh and simply just said no. She sighed.

"Going to be awhile till I'm finished though." He said.

"Got nothing better to do anyway…" She whispered. They were in a cell room in the far off corner of their cell block. Everybody else was outside talking to the new group about rationing food. Looking around her eyes drifted to the windows. Watching the clouds she smiled. _I miss my little girl…_

_"I want one though!" Carol hissed. Standing in front of a tattoo shop she turned to Daryl and gave him the look._

_"Alright…damn woman you can be a pain in the ass ya know!" He snapped back. Running inside he quickly grabbed what he needed. Shoving everything in his bag he walked out nodding to Carol towards his bike._

_Once he was seated he then felt her arms circle around him holding on to him. He grinned starting his bike._

_"Here's the deal…I'll do it but ya ain't going to know what I'm doing…deal?" She just nodded laying her head against his back._

A few hours passed and Carols back felt raw. She felt numb but she honestly didn't mind.

"Hey Daryl…?" She murmured.

"Hmm…" He responded. Wiping the rest of the ink off he continued touching up.

"Remember what Andrea said back at the farm…something about pain?" She asked.

"Afraid I don't." She turned her head around and watched his face. His brows were drawn in concentration while he painstakingly went about the task, as if this was very important for him. Smiling she felt her heart beat just watching his face.

"The pain doesn't go away…you just make room for it." She quietly said. Turning around she continued to peer at the sky.

Raising his eyes to her face he noticed she was gazing off. Casting his eyes down, he cleaned the ink off slowly. Taking a moment he eyed her back. _Her scars…_ Lifting his hand he ran his fingers over her biggest one.

"That one was from my father…when I was little I accidently dropped a glass pitcher…and I guess he was drunk… because he saw and grabbed a knife and stabbed me…" Daryl paled and balled his hand in a tight fist. Listening to her talk about her childhood he felt her pain. Growing up with an abusive environment was tough.

"I'm fine now…" She exhaled a breath she hadn't known she held. After several moments she noticed Daryl hadn't said anything or touched her back. Before she could ask anything he got up and tapped her shoulder.

"It's done…" Standing up she felt her legs wobble but Daryl was there to steady her. Holding her shirt against her chest she blushed. Daryl softly smiled quickly.

"Let me go find a mirror." He said walking out.

Once he was gone she walked around stretching her legs. Looking around she saw the stuff he used. She saw the colors and picked them up examining them. Then she remembered she actually got a tattoo. Her back still stung a little. _I don't regret a thing though… _she thought.

"Here…" She jumped a little. She saw Daryl walk in with a mirror. Standing behind her back he held it up.

"Oh…" Her breathing stopped and her stomach was instantly filled with butterflies. Two wings were against her back folded and spread out on the bottom. As he was moving the mirror down, she noticed a name inside a feather. _Sophia…_ Tears welled up and started trailing down her cheeks.

"Daryl, it's perfect." She whispered.

"I know the pain doesn't go away…but sometimes you just have to put it to good use. I think…getting this tattoo is how you make room for that pain. If you don't lik-"

"Stop…I love it and I could never ask for anything better because this is perfect Daryl." He looked at her tender smile.

"Could always put my name on there you know?" She laughed and Daryl smirked.

"Oh stop."

Daryl watched her gently put her shirt back on. Looking at the wings he was glad he did them. To him they meant freedom but to her he knew it meant sanctuary and all the hurt she went through.

"I understand why you did wings…thank you Daryl, for everything." She smiled weakly wiping her tears.

"Jesus woman…it's just a tattoo…" He started scratching his head looking around.

"I know that…but really thank you so much…for being here and helping this group…and especially me, I wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for you. I'm happy you did this for me and this tattoo holds meaning meant for you as well…thank you"

"Uhh…you're welcome…sides I was going to say if you don't like it, tough shit because it's done and it stays on your skin forever."

"If you did your name it would have too, and I wouldn't have minded." She said giggling.

"It's not done though I still need to finish it so it will take a while…" He said.

"That's fine…got all the time in the world anyway." She sighed walking over to him. Leaning up she pressed her lips to his cheek. This time he didn't flinch. This time he accepted it. Before she could leave he grasped her hand.

"Your alive…that's all that matters to me now…all I live for is just so I know you can smile and live." Holding his hand she smiled up at him.

"Me too…"


End file.
